Agents responded to an area off of C. Holden Rd. and Highway 1036 in Holden after receiving an anonymous complaint of possible hunting violations. Agents observed two men coming from a wooded area without their required hunter orange on and with a loaded 12-gauge shotgun.

After further investigation, the agents cited Bobby D. Sykes, 38, and Barry D. Gill, 46, both of Holden, for failing to wear hunter orange, hunting deer with an unplugged gun and possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain felonies.

Possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain felonies carries a $1,000 to $5,000 fine and 10 to 20 years in jail. Failing to wear hunter orange carries a $50 fine and up to 15 days in jail. Hunting with an unplugged shotgun brings a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail.

(Jan. 7, 2013)– The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will hold a public hearing on Caney Creek Reservoir issues, including an overview of aquatic vegetation issues and the results of recent fish population sampling. LDWF established a comprehensive management plan for Caney Creek Reservoir in 2006, which provides annual public hearings to update the public on ongoing projects, fisheries management issues and aquatic vegetation management.

Who: LDWF biologists

What: Public meeting on Caney Creek Reservoir

When: Monday, January 21, 2013, at 7 p.m.

Where: Jimmie Davis State Park

Conference Center

1209 State Park Rd.

Chatham, LA 71226

The meeting is open to the public, and all persons interested in the conservation and management of the fisheries resources and aquatic habitats in Caney Creek Reservoir are encouraged to attend.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.govon Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffbor follow us on Twitter @LDWF.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) recommended the revisions which include simplifying the wording for restricted species and permits for take, adding three snake species to the list of restricted reptiles, and adding the Mississippi gopher frog to the list of endangered species within the state. The gopher frog was already federally listed, and the state list would be corrected by this proposed action.

To view the full notice of intent, please visit http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/action-items. Public comment will be accepted at the LWFC monthly meeting on Feb. 7, 2013. Comments will also be accepted by mail to LDWF’s headquarters in Baton Rouge through Feb. 20, 2013. Mailed comments should be directed to:

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.

January 3, 2013 – Today the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission took action to establish a 2,000 pound commercial trip limit for greater amberjack. The commission's actions ensure that regulations in Louisiana state waters will mirror regulations of federally managed waters.

Effective with the provisions under this Emergency Rule, a vessel shall not possess on any trip, or sell, barter, trade, or exchange greater amberjack in excess of the designated 2,000 pound whole weight trip limit, regardless of where taken. Further, no person, shall purchase, barter, trade, or exchange from any person greater amberjack in excess of the 2000 pound whole weight trip limit. Greater amberjack may only be in possession during the open commercial season by legally licensed commercial fishermen.

The season for greater amberjack is currently open and will remain open until the quota is reached, with the exception of the annual closed season (March 1 to June 1).

In 2011, Louisiana accounted for approximately 63 percent of the commercial landing for greater amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico.

Greater amberjack are found throughout the Gulf of Mexico as well as in the temperate and tropical Atlantic Ocean. Greater amberjack usually live in nearshore waters out to 300 feet deep. This species is often found near offshore platforms, wrecks and artificial reefs. Greater amberjack can reach sizes of 6 feet in length and weights of 120 pounds in the Gulf of Mexico.

January 3, 2013 – The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission set the 2013 commercial king mackerel season to begin July 1. Once the season opens, it will remain open until the quota of approximately 1.18 million pounds is met or projected to be met.

King mackerel is a significant commercial fishery in Louisiana. From 2000 through 2011 Louisiana has landed, on average, an amount equal to approximately 75 percent of the allotted western Gulf of Mexico quota. In 2011 more than 1 million pounds were landed in Louisiana. A significant amount of the king mackerel landed in Louisiana is shipped to markets in the northeastern U.S.

Currently, the 2011-2012 commercial king mackerel season is closed as the established quota has been harvested.

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.

Dec. 29, 2012- The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced today that a more accurate method of determining Louisiana’s recreational landings of yellowfin tuna will go into effect January 1, 2013. The new method requires anglers and charter captains possessing tunas, billfishes, swordfish, amberjacks, groupers, and snappers first obtain an Offshore Landing Permit. The permit is available at no cost to the public, and can be obtained through the Department’s website at www.wlf.la.gov/rolp or through smartphone applications. The iPhone app can be downloaded free from the App Store by searching for Louisiana Recreational Offshore Landing Permits App. The Android app can be downloaded free of charge from the Google Play Store by searching for LDWF Rec. Offshore Landing App. Permits will be available after January 1, 2013.

Anglers who land yellowfin tuna must report that catch prior to offloading the catch. Reporting can be done through the smartphone application described above or by calling the toll free number 877-792-3440 and responding to the prompts provided.

Charter captains using tags provided by the department must report landings by the 15th of the month following the month in which the yellowfin tuna was landed.

A detailed description of the program and reporting requirements can be found at the department’s website www.wlf.louisiana.gov/rolpor by calling Jason Adriance at (504)-284-2032.

The department will hold three informational workshops explaining reporting requirements and the use of the new technology. These workshops will be held in the following locations beginning at 5:30 p.m. local time:

January 15, 2013

LDWF Fisheries Research Lab

195 Ludwig Annex

Grand Isle, La 70358

January 16, 2013

Belle Chasse Auditorium

8398 Highway 23

Belle Chasse, La 70037

January 17, 2013

Houma Municipal Auditorium

880 Verret Street

Houma, La 70360

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.

Commercial fishing for Non-Sandbar Large Coastal Sharks will open in Louisiana waters at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, January 1. The National Marine Fisheries Service will also open the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico at this time.

The commercial season as well as the recreational season for the harvest of all sharks in Louisiana state waters will be closed from 12:01 a.m. April 1, 2013 until 12:01 p.m. July 1, 2013 per an existing fixed seasonal closure to protect shark pupping, unless a season closes in adjacent federal waters or is projected to close before that date, and the Secretary is requested by NOAA Fisheries to take action to enact consistent seasonal regulations. The commercial season will remain open in Federal waters until 80 percent of the federal quota for a given fishery has been harvested in the Gulf of Mexico.

During the open season, commercial harvest of Non-Sandbar Large Coastal Sharks and Pelagic Sharks will be regulated by the existing federal and state rules regarding trip limits, allowable species and requirements for permits and landings.

The Non-Sandbar Large Coastal Shark group is composed of the great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, nurse shark, blacktip shark, bull shark, lemon shark, silky shark, spinner shark and tiger shark. While sandbar shark are a member of the Large Coastal Shark group, only specifically designated federally permitted vessels may take sandbar shark while operating under conditions of that research permit.

Commercial fishing for Non-Blacknose Small Coastal Sharks will resume in Louisiana waters on January 1 through December 31 or until 80 percent of the federal quota has been met. The Non-Blacknose Small Coastal Shark group is composed of bonnethead shark, Atlantic sharpnose shark, blacknose shark and finetooth shark and remained open for all of 2012.

LDWF has opened another avenue for Louisiana commercial license holders to renew their licenses for 2013. Customers who held a license in the immediate prior year for the requested renewal can go online at the department’s web site and renew those licenses.

Previously, customers with commercial licenses could only renew by mail or in person at the Baton Rouge office. Now, they have a third option of using the Internet, which provides the customers with at-home service and savings on travel expenses. It also allows LDWF to provide quicker service to its customers. Online renewal can be found at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/licenses.

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.

The 2013 wild turkey season will open March 23 in three designated areas with varying end of season dates as follows: Area A, March 23 - April 21; Area B, March 23 - April 14; and Area C, March 23 - April 7. These areas include similar geographic boundaries utilized in 2012 except for minor additional openings in Pointe Coupee, Ascension and Iberville parishes.

The statewide youth and physically challenged hunter weekend for private lands will be March 16-17. To access additional information, the 2013 Turkey Regulations pamphlet can be viewed at http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/regulations.

Changes in the 2013 turkey season include the loss of Bens Creek WMA, Dewey Wills WMA lottery hunts moved earlier in the season, an additional three-day lottery hunt on Union WMA, one-day youth lottery hunts added on the Winn, Catahoula, Caney and Kisatchie Ranger Districts of the Kisatchie National Forest, and an additional one-day youth lottery hunt added to the Pearl River WMA.

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.